Play Games and Get Fit while at the Beach
July 1, 2009 by Paige Blatnik
Many of us are looking forward to going on vacation this summer and a lot of us will be vacationing at the beach. The beach is a great place to have fun and relax. What many people do not realize is that there is an infinite amount of things to do while you are at the beach! It is more than just a beach of sand and a mass of water!
But vacationing isn’t all about relaxing and being lazy. By staying active, your body and your mind stay active. So why not incorporate being healthy and vacationing at the beach? Here are the top 10 games and activities to play at the beach that will also get your body into shape.
Photo Credit: Google Images
10. Badminton
9. Playing with a pet
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8. RVing
7. Windsurfing
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6. Frisbee
5. Dancing
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4. Boogie Boarding
3. Running
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2. Surfing
1. Beach Volleyball
Photo Credit: Google Images
So there you have it! Great games to play at the beach while on vacation! These activities will keep you busy and get you fit…all while on vacation. I don’t think it gets any better than that.
How to Get that Bikini-Ready Tummy
June 8, 2009 by Paige Blatnik
Alright. It’s summer and that means it’s also swimsuit season! Time to show off a little more skin and there is no better way to do it than with a little confidence!
Guys, have you noticed that your beer belly has grown a little bit since the end of last semester? Girls, are you thinking of going for a tankini to cover up this summer? Stop! There is something you can do to get back those rock-hard abs!
Photo Credit: Google Images
Everyone has an area on their body that they feel like they need to constantly work on. Mine would be my tummy! So I have put together a few different exercises into a routine that definitely gives results. These exercises work great for both guys and gals, so if you want that bikini-ready tummy, try these out!
Photo Credit: Google Images
Exercise One: Plank Lift
Lay flat on your back and with your legs together, lift them to about a 45 degree angle from the floor. Hold them for a few seconds, and bring your legs back down to floor (Be sure not to let your heels hit the ground). Repeat. Do 30 reps.
Photo Credit: Google Images
Exercise Two: Bicycle Crunch
Lay flat on your back with your legs outstretched. Pull up into the crunch position. Pull your left knee up to your head and bring your right elbow across your body. The tip of your elbow and your kneecap should almost touch. Bring your left knee down and bring your right elbow back. Now do the same with your right knee and left elbow. Repeat. Do 30 reps.
Photo Credit: Google Images
Exercise Three: Scissors
Lay flat on your back and raise both legs. Spread them to make a V-shape in the air, one leg slightly above the other. With both legs elevated, criss-cross your legs one on top of another (looks like scissors). Do 30 reps.
Photo Credit: Google Images
Exercise Four: Stabilizer Ball Crunch
Grab a stabilizer ball and lay on it with most of the pressure on your lower back. You do not want to rely on this ball for all your support, because you want to get an ab workout from this. With your feet flat on the floor, pull yourself up to a 45 degree angle from the ball, hold, and lay back down. Repeat. Do 30 reps.
Photo Credit: Google Images
So there you have it! A quick guide to get that flat tummy for the summer! With this workout you should see results fast, and that way, you can get out to the pool or the beach a whole lot sooner!
Amp Up Your Workout, Now!
April 29, 2009 by CollegeAffairMagazine.com
By Emily Cunningham
Pre-Workout
Drink water - This includes before, during and after the gym. Hydration is key to enduring an intense workout.
- Work out in the morning if you can. A recent study in Great Britain proved that your endurance lasts longer when your body is cool; your body temperature is lowest in the morning. Plus, you will feel accomplished for the rest of your day.
- If you are planning on going to the gym after work or class, pack a gym bag the night before. Having your gear with you will prevent you from stopping at home and ending up stuck on the couch for the rest of the night.
- Make a playlist of songs that inspire and pump you up and bring it with you to the gym. Blast your music when you are feeling sluggish.
- Eat a healthy snack one to two hours before you hit the gym. Eat foods that are high in carbohydrates and easy to digest. Try an energy bar, yogurt or fruit. Aim for a 200 calorie snack, but the closer you eat to your work out, the less you should eat.
- Plan out your outfit. Sure you will be sweating, but chances are, if you are going to the gym you care about how you look. And, wearing something that makes you feel good will boost your confidence, and may even inspire you to run that extra mile.
- Try taking a pre-training performance booster, like NO-Xplode. These energy igniters help boost physical and mental energy and focus.
During Workout
- Hire a trainer if you can. He or she will help you formulate a program specifically for your goals. Plus, having someone who holds you accountable will help you get your booty to the gym on a regular basis.
Photo by Mike Lagman
- Warm-Up. This includes stretching. Even if you just jog for five minutes and do a few stretches to loosen up, you are helping prevent your body from serious injury. This should never be over looked.
- Mix it up. If you ran last time, take a spinning class today or play tennis with your friends. Doing exercises you enjoy will increase the likelihood of you committing to working out.
- Do intervals of high-intensity and low-intensity exercises and cardio. This helps you avoid training plateaus by preventing your body from adjusting to the workout.
- Keep a journal. It is easy to fall into a rut at the gym, but writing down which muscle groups you work on which days will help you keep track of your progress, and ensure that you are working every part of your body.
- Lift weights while balancing on one leg or sitting on an exercise ball. When you aren’t on a stable service you engage, and strengthen, your core muscles more than if you were standing on both feet.
- Don’t sacrifice form for heavier weights; but, once you have the form down, lift the heaviest weights you can.
- The myth that more reps of lighter weights will tone and define your muscles the best is exactly that, a myth! Working out with weights, no matter what size, or how many reps you do, does the exact same thing: build muscle.
- Circuit Train. Instead of doing one set, resting, and then another set of the same exercise, do multiple exercises in a circuit. This gives each muscle group more time to recover in between sets.
- Focus on your breathing. Taking long, full breaths during cardiovascular workouts aids with oxygen and blood flow throughout your entire body. While lifting weights, exhale on the exertion and inhale on the release.
Post-Workout
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Photo Credit: Google Images
Refuel. Whether you eat an apple or make a protein shake, it is important to eat something after you workout (at least within 30 minutes). This can increase the recovery of your muscles by up to 60%.
- Shower. Gyms are filled with bacteria. The best thing you can do to protect yourself is wash your hands immediately after working out, then take a shower as soon as you can.
How to make over your body
February 17, 2009 by Kristyna Murphy
Photo Credit: Google Images
Now to lose weight you need to be understand what motivates you. Your motivation could be that you want to lose weight so you can fit into a skinnier pair of jeans or you want to be healthy in order to avoid certain diseases further down the road. I thought the magazine featured a great suggestion: If it is the first reason, put a picture of an outfit you hope to wear where you will see it every day. This will motivate you to stay on track.
Also, deal with distractions. I’ve had many times where I will say I’m going to stick with a healthy eating plan, but there are too many distractions to stay focused. For now, work on maintaining your weight until other distractions are resolved. Although sometimes in stressful situations, people tend to lose weight because that is the one thing they can control.
Also, it is easy to eat when our mind says we are hungry rather than our stomachs. Instead of going to the fridge, go on a walk or find something else to keep you busy.
There has been several times where I will go to the gym and miss a few days. And I sometimes find it difficult to motivate myself to just go back. Other times people will overeat and convince themseleves that the week is shot, so they might as well eat whatever and start over next Monday. Instead of feeling like a failure, tell yourself you will do better next time. Don’t keep using the same failed strategies. If you ate a lot one day, just do better the next and so forth. Take control of the situation.
Now, as far as when to start eating healthy and exercising more, or as Shape calls it “the 21-day program”, start on a day when you won’t be out of town (such as Spring Break) or will be going to a party. Otherwise, you may be doomed to face the oh-well-I’ll-try-again-next-week scenario.
Good luck!
Body and Brain Club at ASU
November 11, 2008 by April Stolarz
Body and Brain Club? I betcha you didn’t even know we had one of these at ASU. This club is a student group that seeks to promote health, happiness, and peace through integrated mind and body training. Health, happiness and peace are all essential workings of the inner harmony of life. As soon as I read those three words, I became interested in this club. Their mission statement seeks to empower students to realize the greatest potential for our bodies and minds, maximize our higher education experience, and become excellent citizens of the world.
They meet every Monday from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the SRC. The exercises performed involve mind-body-energy training, deep stretching, meditation, energy yoga, dahn mu do, dance, breathing exercises, and drumming. Deep stretching opens and releases energy blockades throughout the bodies energy meridian. Breathing exercises help you release your daily stress and tension. Dahn Mu Do are movements that strengthen muscles and joints, improve blood and energy circulation, correct skeletal imbalances, and improve concentration, focus, and confidence.
For more information check out the global website http://www.BodyNBrain.org or contact the club through email at bnbasu@gmail.com
The Dating Game
October 24, 2008 by Vanessa Culpepper
Hey Readers,
My name is Vanessa Culpepper, and I’m a recent ASU grad. My hobbies include reading, traveling, meeting new and interesting people, and feeding my guilty pleasure of listening to the Delilah radio show every night while typing my articles for College Affair. When I’m not doing that, I’m working at a dress shop pretending to be posh and at a gymnastics center teaching hyper kids how to flip. This blog is primarily for those of you who:
1. “Have had your hearts beaten down, yet still find yourselves coming back for more” (Thanks Celine)
2. Refuse to settle for anything less than butterflies
3. Are trying to translate the “amusing” and peculiar behavior and habits of the opposite sex (I’ll be your interpreter)
4. Just want to rant/rave about your current relationship situation
5. Are sufferring from relationship woes
6. Are sufferring from singleness woes
Sigh…
Let’s face it. We’ve all played the Dating Game, weather it’s Battle of the Sexes, or body language Charades. And when it comes to Relationships, love can definitely be a battlefield. You win some, you lose some. For many of you out there, your heart has been P.O.W from the last “player”. For others, the only long-term relationship you might have is with your coffee cup. Meet me at this message board and we’ll talk. It’ll be faster than actually reading “He’s Just Not That into You” (Though I HIGHLY recommend that book. It’s ruthlessly honest and hilarious. Yes, I read it right after getting dumped).
Love,
Vanessa P.S. Make sure to check out Amanda and Emily’s article on Relationship Skills in the current issue!
